“At some point, we must recognize that the circumstances we ask God to change are often the very circumstances God is using to change us.”- Mark Batterson
In Chapter 20 “(The Miracle League”) of The Grave Robber, Mark Batterson completes his study of Jesus’ sixth miracle, the healing of a man born blind. Pastor Batterson asks what we do when the miracle we’re believing God for doesn’t happen, no matter how hard or how long we wait. Mark states that we have two options:
1. Sometimes we need to keep holding out for the miracle.
2. Sometimes we need to accept the new normal, in the process recognizing that God wants to glorify Himself in a way we wouldn’t choose.
Mark rephrases and expands the second option:
“Sometimes the miracle we want isn’t the one we get. God gives us a different one. It might not be our first choice, but it’s not second best (emphasis mine).”
We can’t claim half a promise, Mark asserts. If we are asking God to open doors, we must be willing to let Him close a door. Those closed doors would prove to be trap doors if we walked through them, taking us places we don’t want to go. As Mark explains, we view closed doors as anti- miracles:
“When God closes a door, it often seems like an anti- miracle. But what seems to be a setback is God setting you up for something bigger, something better.”
Today’s question: Following your vocation loss, how have closed doors turned into unanticipated miracles? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The ultimate goal”
